The Madhya Pradesh High Court has disposed of a petition filed by a mosque committee in Ujjain challenging the demolition of part of Shahi Masjid for a road widening project. The settlement details were not shared, and clashes between residents and police escalated on Monday.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court, on Monday, disposed of a petition filed by the mosque committee in Ujjain against a notice issued by the municipal corporation for the demolition of a portion of Shahi Masjid as part of a road widening project. However, the details of the settlement reached between the Shahi Masjid Waqf Panch Mochiyan and the Ujjain Municipal Corporation were not shared in court.
On Monday morning, violence erupted near the Shahi Masjid as police fired tear gas at Muslim residents protesting against the notice over the demolition. The demonstrators threw stones at police personnel during the clashes. This occurred despite an attempt by Ujjain Superintendent of Police Pradeep Sharma to resolve the matter through dialogue, which had led to a stalling of the demolition earlier.
The administration is widening the road ahead of the Hindu religious gathering called the Simhastha to be held in March 2028. Tensions escalated when the Ujjain Municipal Corporation began tearing down portions of the mosque, resulting in fifteen persons being detained and seven others being booked, as reported by The Indian Express.
On Sunday night, police and municipal teams brought heavy machinery to the area while several companies of police were deployed. A sit-in protest against the proposal had begun at the Shahi Masjid on Sunday, with some demonstrators staying inside the premises overnight to prevent the removal.
Ujjain Qazi or religious leader Khalil Quresh Rehman who was involved in discussions with the administration stated that the matter had been resolved on Sunday night. He also urged residents to avoid the site and pay attention to rumours. Sharma added that the police were monitoring social media and would take action against those posting 'provocative material'.
Source:
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